COURTESY PHOTO
Defying all odds, Joshua Cheptegei has won a Gold medal in the Men’s 10,000m at the Paris 2024 Olympics to secure the first medal for Uganda.
The victory also marked a new Olympic record with a time of 26:43.14, the fastest ever in the championship history.
Secured in the final lap, Cheptegei dethroned the reigning champion, Selemon Barega of Ethiopia.
The victory makes him (Cheptegei ) the first Ugandan to win two Olympic gold medals.
Meanwhile Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi finished second to settle for a silver with a time of 26:43.44.
USA’s Grant Fisher smiled home with a bronze, slightly beating Canadian Mohammed Ahmed.
After the Cheptegei medal, Uganda moved to 30th place on the medals table out of 50 countries that have won medals so far.
Cheptegei previously won gold in the 5,000m and silver in the 10,000m at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
He is also the world record holder in both the 5,000m and 10,000m events and has been crowned World Champion in 2019, 2022, and 2023.
The long distance runner now sets eye to another potential gold in the Men’s 5,000m next week. He (Cheptegei) won this very gold in the 2021 Olympics.
